According to research by Mintel, more than one third of Americans use meat alternatives such as tofu, tempeh, and faux meat products. Respondents indicated that the main reason is for the health benefits along with the taste of the products. Since only 7% of those in the market study identified themselves as vegetarian, it shows that meat alternatives are gaining popularity beyond just the meat-free consumer market.

Health perception plays a large role in use of meat alternatives. One-third of consumers indicate using alternative meat products because they are healthy, higher than any other reason measured in the report. What's more, more than half (51%) of users believe they are healthier than real meat. In addition, some 31% are trying to reduce their meat consumption and another 31% say they enjoy the taste of meat alternatives.

Lately, I've added raw chocolate nibs to my snacking foods. They are kind of bitter, but still palatable. They are also loaded with phyto-nutrients according to recent reports. Raw cacao nibs are not the only chocolate product that is vegan. In fact most dark chocolate products are vegan since they don't contain added dairy products. Because of dark chocolate's potential health benefits the number of new brands on the market has increased! This article lists 10 vegan chocolate bar brands to try and enjoy!

Nowadays, there are more ways to go green than one can probably think of. Planning on making a move in the near future? Well, now you can rent reusable plastic moving boxes instead of using cardboard ones. It's more ecological, saves space, and they're easy to pack. This article talks about this emerging product.Companies that offer green boxes are RentaGreenBox, BungoBox, FrogBox, and Bin-It. I've made several moves and have always used cardboard boxes. But it's nice to know that green boxes are now available for the next one!

When I want to add protein to my meals where meat usually was, I use mostly fresh ingredients such as tofu, mushrooms, black beans, lentils, tempeh, and quinoa. I also count on the small amounts of protein in leafy green vegetables which add up when you eat them every day. I rarely use faux meats at home anymore, even though they are a source of protein, being soy based, because they are processed and usually contain more sodium than I desire. This wasn't always the case, however. When I first stopped eating meat, I always had my kitchen stocked with Boca burgers, soy dogs, faux deli meats, and even faux sausage patties. I really depended on them to help me replace the initial cravings I had for the taste and texture of traditional American comfort food. It's hard to break an eating habit that you've had since childhood. It was also easy to stop into a supermarket while traveling on the road and buy faux deli meats to munch on when no veggie restaurant options were immediately available. Unfortunately, becoming dependent upon processed foods is not making the true transformation that a vegan or vegetarian diet aims to produce. It also doesn't help with weight control either. As an aside, not all faux meats are vegan either, so that was another factor. Now, I avoid processed faux meats except when dining at vegan restaurants where it's the specialty of the house. Replacing meat-based protein with natural fresh plant-based protein is the best habit for a healthy diet. Having said that, faux meats are instrumental in helping people transition from a meat-based diet to a plant-based one. Even if you are a still considering the transition, I recommend trying out a Boca burger or something similar. The taste is great and its still a better alternative to ground beef or pork. Even faux chicken products are becoming popular since the mimic almost exactly the real thing. This article lists some faux meat products which have gone mainstream. But try not to become dependent upon them and slowly make the transition to fresh protein ingredients and you'll really start to see the benefits of the vegetarian or vegan diet!

When I became a vegan, I applied the eating philosophy to clothing as well. So I slowly got rid of the leather products I owned and replaced them with eco-friendly materials. This was easy for most items, like jackets, bags, belts, wallets, and many other things where leather showed up. This was not easy for shoes - especially dress shoes and casual loafers. In fact, when I finally did find a pair of dress shoes constructed from "man-made materials," they looked terrible - and I'm not even a shoe aficionado. It got even worse with casual wear. The vegan shoes couldn't compete in style with the leather counterparts. So I ended up wearing my running shoes all the time and even found a way to wear them at work. It was frustrating since with today's technology there are probably several materials to make high quality and stylish shoes, especially for men, and have them reasonably priced. There is also a growing market for them.According to this article on ethical footwear, there are now more options available, which is a good sign. One company listed in the article, Noah Italian Vegan Shoes, seems to be headed in the right direction with some trendy styles. It's good news and hopefully more companies will follow.

It's evident that apps, mini programs for portable computing devices and smart phones, are the new way to access, manage, and apply information. As growth for iPads, tablet PCs, and smart phones increases, so will the demand for great apps. For the first time, notebook PC sales dropped from the high growth rate of 10% per year down to 4% last year, being overtaken by tablet PCs like the iPad. This means that if you have invested in one it might be easier to integrate software programs into your daily life. For example, you can carry and iPad where ever you go, even the kitchen, and use apps, whereas the notebook PC and desktop usually have a fixed position in the home. One good way to use apps is to monitor your eating patterns and nutrition. PC Magazine has listed 10 nutrition apps in the article which it considers useful. They help monitor carbs and fats and other components of your meals. While many people lose weight when they become vegetarian or vegan, if your carbs intake is still high, losing weight may not come naturally with the diet. Perhaps these apps can be useful for this purpose.

This articles about vegan beauty care by Susan Carpenter from the LA Times starts out with a great line. She writes, "If you don't wear animal products on your body, chances are you're loath to smear one on your face." The availability of non-food products that shun any form of animal ingredients or animal testing is on the rise. Driven in part by the rise of the natural beauty care trend, products such as vegan cosmetics, cologne, perfume, hand lotions, and sun tan lotions are now mainstream. They are also proof that body care products can be safe and effective without using animals. The trendsetter in this niche was Aveda with its shampoos, conditioners, and soaps that were eco-friendly and available in almost every mall. 7th Generation was also a pioneer in house cleaning products manufactured without animal testing; it's products are also widely available in Target and many other large supermarkets. Now the number of brands is growing with wider variety and a loyal and dedicated market. Good news for both consumers and animals!

Sometimes it's hard to find vegan bread, which makes it difficult if you eat it as a side with soups or stews or if you like to make sandwiches. Some breads in the supermarket made by the main brands do have vegan ingredients, but they are either loaded with unnatural ingredients or have high salt or sugar contents. For this reason, among others, I stopped buying bread and basically cut it out of my diet. A couple months ago, I visited a farmer's market and walked up to a table where several breads were on display and made a great discovery. A company called 'Bread Basket Bakery' makes wonderful vegan breads and they ship FedEx as well if you are not able to visit their store locally. The version I bought which is not on their website is labeled "Unsweetened" and it has 0 g of sugar and only 90mg of salt. Other varieties of vegan bread include nine grain, raisin wheat, sunflower, and Swedish rye. So if you are having trouble finding a good vegan bread, I recommend checking out their site.

As mentioned in previous posts, the vegan lifestyle is more than just food. It's living in a way to protect and preserve the environment. Every aspect of our lives can be fine-tuned to increase the sustainability of our planet in a peaceful and enjoyable way. Now there are many affordable options for products that use bio-friendly materials. Even the mass retailers stock green products since consumers are behind the trend. This is a nice article about how to make your kitchen earth friendly!http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/stories/how-to-keep-a-green-vegan-kitchen